Restaurants With The Best Katsu Curry In Kyoto, Japan

katsu curry kyoto
Angelyn
Angelyn 
Updated
| 3 min read

Japanese cuisine has a unique, varied, and delicious taste recognized not just by locals but also by people from foreign lands that one should indulge in especially when touring around the Land of the Rising Sun. Considered as the Japanese soul food, curry rice always has a space in the menu of a Japanese restaurant and is usually partnered with deep-fried cutlets making the all-time favorite katsu curry. Whatever the weather may be, a piping hot katsu added with flavorful Japanese curry and a bed of fluffy white rice is a perfect meal for any time of the day. If you’re in Kyoto prefecture and can’t help salivating over the thought of this delicious treat, here’s a guide to some of the restaurant with the best katsu curry in Kyoto, Japan, that you should not miss trying out today.

1. Katsukura

Pork Katsu
Source: Photo by Flickr user Leng Cheng used under CC BY 2.0

Delight your senses and enjoy a great Japanese dining experience in this restaurant with an attractive Asian-style setting. They serve delicious deep-fried dishes including prawn tempura, fish fillet, crab meat croquettes, and the favorite pork cutlet that is crispy on the outside and super tender in the inside. Feast over a very simple yet perfectly prepared katsu curry that comes with a side of cabbage and rice which, by the way, have unlimited refills just like with the miso soup. Don’t forget to pound your own sesame seeds to be added to the special sauce for you to completely enjoy this heavenly treat.

Katsukura

Address: Shijo Higashino toin Shop: 674, Bantoyacho, Nakagyo-ku Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, 604-8143, Japan

Website: Katsukura

Opening hours: 11am - 9:30pm (daily)

Visited this place?

2. Tonkatsu Ichiban

Chicken katsudon curry rice
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user ProjectManhattan used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Satisfy your Japanese food cravings in this small traditional diner located on the tiniest side street about a kilometer (0.62 miles) walk from Kyoto station with a few booths and a few bar seats but will surely change your prejudice in eating Japanese food. Indulge in a very generous portion of katsu with curry rice and miso soup at a very reasonable price enough to fill you up after touring around Kyoto. Feel like a local and practice your Japanese communication skill for the staff barely speak English but are definitely warm and friendly, and they ensure that you will enjoy their honest to goodness dishes.

Tonkatsu Ichiban

Address: 403 Teppocho Kuromon-Dori Kizuyabashi Agaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8265, Kyoto

Website: Tonkatsu Ichiban

Opening hours: 11:30am - 2pm, 5pm - 8:30pm (daily)

Visited this place?

3. Nishijin Oedo

Curry with port cutlet (katsu curry) at alba, akihabara (27046524808)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user nakashi used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Visit Nishijin District, the less traveled than other parts of the city in Kyoto, and find this tonkatsu restaurant with a cozy atmosphere, English menu, and friendly staff that serves dishes which are cooked to bless your taste buds with rich and savory flavors. Warm your appetite before starting your food adventure and begin by having green tea and miso soup that comes along with every meal including their aromatic katsu curry. Refresh as you quench your thirst with their juices, sodas, fruit, and milkshakes or grab a cup of coffee or the Japanese wine sake for a complete traditional dining experience.

Nishijin Oedo

Address: 3-638 Sasayacho Sasayacho Sembon Higashiiri Kamigyo-Ku, Kyoto

Opening hours: Fri - Sun, Tue - Wed: 11am - 2pm, 5pm - 8pm (closed on Thu)

Visited this place?

4. Kara-Kusa Curry

Katsu Curry @ Izakaya Taisho Ken 3 @ Paris
Source: Photo by Flickr user Guilhem Vellut used under CC BY 2.0

Find yourself surrounded with gastronomical delights in this small diner but definitely a gem that specializing in not too spicy but very rich curry dishes located in the business district of Kyoto. Enjoy watching the very friendly chef cook and prepare the orders right in front of you while seating on a counter and waiting for a plate of a Japanese-Indian fusion treat including the famous half/half red chicken and black beef curries. Try to top the curry with cheese to reduce the spiciness of your meal or find the Kyoto-style habanero sauce if you feel the curry is not spicy enough.

Kara-Kusa Curry

Address: 248 Shimmeicho, Ayanokoji Higashinotoin Higashi-Iru, Shimogyo-Ku | Grand Jour Ayanokoji 1F, Nakagyo, Kyoto 600-8092

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 11:30am - 3pm, 6pm - 9pm; Sat: 11:30am - 3pm (closed on Sun)

Visited this place?

5. CoCo Ichibanya Shimogyo-ku Shijo Kawaramachi

Katsu-curry 002
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Ocdp used under CC0

Enjoy an authentic Japanese dining experience when in Kyoto, and visit CoCo Ichibanya Shimogyo-ku Shijo Kawaramachi with a cozy atmosphere and where locals and tourists alike can be seen enjoying their meal from lunch till midnight. Bite into thin, juicy layers of tender pork wrapped in crisp panko breadcrumbs and cooked slowly to perfection in this famous restaurant chain in Japan serving delicious meals including the aromatic and full of spices curry rice. Fret not if you can’t speak Japanese for English menus with pictures are available that ordering from their friendly crew a katsu curry with vegetables is always at ease.

CoCo Ichibanya Shimogyo-ku Shijo Kawaramachi

Address: 2-330-2 Inaricho Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8022, Kyoto

Website: CoCo Ichibanya Shimogyo-ku Shijo Kawaramachi

Opening hours: 11am - 12pm (daily)

Visited this place?

6. Spicy Masara

Chicken katsudon curry rice
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user ProjectManhattan used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Make your way to this small eatery located in Kyoto Station and get to feast on some of the best katsu curries in Japan after a day of touring around Nara or Gion. Hit the vending machine to order their pork or chicken katsu curry plate before seating on the counter while waiting for your Japanese food fix to be ready within minutes. Entice your palate with umami goodness while digging in a plate of a crispy katsu that comes with a piping hot curry rice with a bit of spiciness enough to really taste the flavors of Japan.

Spicy Masara

Address: 657 Higashi Shiokoji, Shimogyo-ku | JR Kyoto Station, Shimogyo, Kyoto 600-8216, Kyoto

Website: Spicy Masara

Opening hours: 7am - 9pm (daily)

Visited this place?

Grab your katsu curry in a hurry

You don’t have to settle for something less, especially when it comes to Japanese food that not only captivates the hearts of their locals but also of those Japanese food enthusiasts all over the world. Make your chopsticks sing as you choose from an array of delectable Japanese flavors together with a serving of katsu curry. Remember to satiate your cravings for Japanese food and say “oishi” when visiting any of these restaurants with the best katsu curry in Kyoto, Japan.

Visited this place?
Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

History


Get Trip101 in your inbox

Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data

An outdoor enthusiast who treats the summits and pristine beaches of the Philippines as her protected playground, Angelyn is used to traveling on a budget and is a certified travel deal hunter for...Read more

 Want to contribute as a Local Expert?
Explore kyoto
x
Good things are meant to be shared!
Back to top
Visited any of these places? Click this button to activate our "Add a Tip" feature to share your experience.